Consumer demand for halal products is on the rise worldwide, and Germany is no exception. Manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers are coming to regard the market for halal products as an increasingly important part of their business.

Deutsche Messe is catering for this trend with its new HALAL HANNOVER trade show. The business and knowledge-sharing platform will premier from 6 to 8 March 2020 in Hall 19 of the Hannover Exhibition Center and will focus on food, beverages, cosmetics and travel. It will also feature a special food-tasting area, where trade visitors and consumers are invited to embark on a “culinary journey of discovery”.

Growing market for halal products

“Demand for halal foods is growing, and Muslim consumers are not the only drivers. More and more non-Muslims are discovering and developing a taste for specialty foods from the Middle East and value them as a welcome complement to their local cuisines,” explains Christoph Schöllhammer, the new trade show’s director at Deutsche Messe. “Another key target group is health-conscious consumers, who buy organic and vegan food products and cosmetics.” In Germany alone, the market for halal products is worth around five billion euros annually.

Halal certification

Germany’s food and cosmetics industry already offers a diverse range of halal products. “Overseas markets insist on halal-certified products. However, getting this certification is not always easy,” explains Tilman Brunner, head of the international department at the Hannover Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK Hannover). Halal certification warrants to the consumer that the product was manufactured in accordance with Islamic halal principles.

The IHK Hannover and German company Symrise, a manufacturer of flavors, fragrances and food and cosmetics ingredients, are both official HALAL HANNOVER partners. They also share an interest in helping German food and cosmetics manufacturers to introduce halal certification systems that are recognized domestically and internationally.

“HALAL HANNOVER is all about fostering dialogue between manufacturers and consumers, and its conference program is designed to improve understanding of halal-related challenges, here and in international markets,” says Symrise’s Halal Officer, Norbert Kahmann. Kahmann will be giving a talk on “How do I find the right certification organization?” as part of the show’s supporting conference program. Günther Ahmed Rusznak, the CEO of Austria-based Islamic Information, Documentation and Certification GmbH (IIDC), will likewise present on the importance of halal certification and the various different certification standards.

Diverse conference program

The conference program will also feature expert talks on the manufacture, export and marketing of halal products. For instance, Abdulrazak Kattan, the CEO of German-based Nosor Baladna GmbH, will talk about his experiences in the halal industry. Nosor Baladna is a halal food manufacturer and distributor that supplies wholesalers and retailers throughout Europe.

Islamic banking: values-based investment

Islamic banking will be another fascinating keynote topic in the HALAL HANNOVER conference program. Banks operating in accordance with Islamic law are not permitted to charge interest, do business with the gambling industry or facilitate investment in highly indebted companies. They are also prohibited from working with companies involved in the arms, tobacco, pornography, alcohol or pork industries. Representatives from INAIA, a provider of Islam-compliant savings and financial products based in Reutlingen, Germany, and the Frankfurt-based KT Bank will give lectures on the market potential and future prospects of Islamic banking.

While the first day of the three-day show will be for trade visitors only, both weekend days will be open to the general public.

HALAL HANNOVER is targeted at the retail and wholesale trade, supermarkets, the hospitality industry (restaurants, fast food companies and catering businesses), the hotel industry, food laboratories, the cosmetics industry, the travel industry and consumers. For further information about the HALAL HANNOVER show, visit: www.halal-messe.de.